


Touch Starved

by SimplyUnknown



Category: Dragon Quest Series, Dragon Quest XI
Genre: Cuddler Luminary, Luminary is El, M/M, Mild shipping, Touch Starved Erik, early game spoilers
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-10-02
Updated: 2018-10-02
Packaged: 2019-07-24 01:12:22
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,275
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16170557
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/SimplyUnknown/pseuds/SimplyUnknown
Summary: In Erik's life, you never wanted to touch or be touched. El never got that memo.





	Touch Starved

**Author's Note:**

> Just hopping on the bandwagon that is Erik/Luminary shipping.

When you were a thief, there were things that you picked up on quickly. Lifting a purse from a stranger's pocket as you walked by in a crowded area, how to quickly and quietly pick locks, the location of the nearest fence, etc. But the main thing was you _never_ touch or be touched. You touch someone while picking pockets, you get a group of overeager guards on your ass. Someone touching you? High odds they're trying to pick your pocket or make off with your latest take. And that's not even counting the punches and kicks from foe and former friend. So Erik and physical contact weren't on the best of terms. 

So when Erik was jolted out of sleep by someone's hand on his side, he reacted. It took a few seconds for him to realize that he'd ended up on top of El, one knee on his stomach and his elbow pressed into the brunet's throat. El stared up at him with wide blue eyes, hands held up in surrender. "Damnit, El! What was that?" Erik cursed as he drew back. To be honest, the blunet was more angry with himself, but El shouldn't have been touching him at all. "I thought you were going for my purse or something." 

"...Sorry," the other boy whispered as he pushed himself into a sitting position. "I was...I just..." His hands automatically dropped to his knees, clutching them desperately. "I'm sorry. I won't do it again." 

Erik looked at the Luminary for a few seconds and sighed. Normally, he'd leave it at that. But El had already had a rough day. Erik's mind flashed back to the ruins of that small village that El had once called home, to the look on the kid's face when he'd come out of that trance and seen what the soldiers had done. If El needed something and Erik could do it..."It's fine. What exactly were you doing anyways? Trying to wake me up?" 

"Um...no." El fidgeted, but Erik pressed harder.

"My purse? My knife? What?" 

"... a hug..." Erik blinked. Stared. And then blinked some more.

El glanced up at the thief and looked away just as quickly. "I'm sorry, it was stupid. It's just...I couldn't sleep and I kept thinking about home and then I saw your back and I thought if..."

"You wanted to hug me while I was sleeping?" Erik finally asked, putting a stop to El's rambling. The Cobblestone native nodded. "...Huh. Well, that's a new one. Is...is that normal for you?" Not like Erik had any _normal_ to compare it to. But if this was going to be a regular thing then Erik might need to invest in something else for El to cuddle with. Like a pillow or something. 

The question had the Luminary's face turn buzzberry red. "N-NO! I mean, not since I was a kid! I..." He turned away, but not before Erik caught the glistening of unshed tears in his eyes. "I'm sorry. I won't do it again." 

But Erik's heart was filled with an old, and utterly unwanted, emotion. Guilt. _Damnit, I thought I got rid of my conscience,_ Erik mentally groaned as he rubbed his hands over his face. "Look, if you really need it..." There was a gasp and El gazed up at the thief, his face practically glowing. "But just for one night, alright?" Grumbling to himself, the blunet settled back against the small woodpile he'd made up, hands behind his back. "Just...do what you need to do." 

It was like handing a kid the keys to the candy store. El pounced upon Erik, drawing a grunt from the older teen. He squirmed for a few minutes before settling on what appeared to be the perfect position; half-lying on top of Erik with one hand pressed into his shoulder while the other wriggled its way into the gap between the thief's back and the wood. His legs sandwiched Erik's right between them and El let his head rest on Erik's chest, practically under his chin. The boy sighed, finally relaxed for the first time that night. 

Erik on the other hand, had gone completely stiff. He hadn't expected El to latch onto him so...completely. Everything was so much warmer now that there was so much contact, even through layers of clothes. Was he just supposed to lay like this all night? Or did El want him to do something specific with his hands or something? El peeked up at him from his position on Erik's chest. "Erik? Are you ok?

"Never better," the thief replied through gritted teeth. "Just go to sleep, El." 

"But if it's making you uncomfortable, I could..." 

"It's fine," Erik barked. "Just...not used to this." 

El lifted his head and Erik fought the urge to glance away from those soft blue eyes. "Erik? Have...haven't you had a hug before?" Erik didn't answer, but El must have seen something in his expression because his eyes welled up again. "Erik..." 

" _ **Don't.**_ " There were plenty of things that Erik could take easily enough. But pity wasn't one of them. "Go to sleep, El." He closed his eyes, hoping that would put an end to the conversation. There was silence, and then Erik felt a warm pressure on his chest as El dropped his head once more. The longer they stayed pressed together like that, the less Erik minded it. The warmth was actually soothing, and the pair drifted off. 

* * *

Erik awoke to the sun on his face and in a slightly different position from when he finally nodded off. His arms were no longer behind his head, but instead were wrapped around El's back. An El, mind you, who was no longer half lying on top of Erik, but had graduated to completely on top of him. The weight had put the thief's right leg to sleep, but he could hear the steady breathing that meant the younger boy hadn't woken yet. Part of him was tempted to rouse El, but instead Erik just lay there. One of his hands slowly reached up and stroked along the brunet's back. If this was what a hug was, maybe Erik could see why people did it. It felt...nice. 

But they had things to do and places to be, like far away from anywhere the Heliodor guards could find them. Sighing, Erik nudged the boy on his chest. "El, wake up. It's time to get moving." 

"Muh?" El's eyes lazily slid open, and Erik ignored the tiny voice in his head urging him to just let El sleep. "Oh, morning Erik." He yawned, and then his eyes snapped open. "Oh!" El practically jumped to his feet, face bright red. "Sorry!" 

"It's alright," Erik soothed, squashing down the part of him that missed the warmth of El's body. Instead, he dropped his hands to massage some feeling back into his leg. "But we need to get the Orb back and get out of here before the guards track us down." 

"R-right," El agreed, still blushing. "Um, thanks. For last night I mean. It...I slept really well." 

"Good," the thief replied, deciding not to mention that last night had probably been the best sleep he'd gotten in years. 

"And I remember. That this was a one time thing. So I...I mean you...I..." El trailed off. "Um... Let's get going!" The Luminary turned towards the path, giving Erik a perfect view of his bright red ears. The thief smirked to himself as he pushed himself up to follow the Luminary. Maybe he'd hold off on that pillow purchase.

**Author's Note:**

> I knew I was going to like Erik before the game came out and playing just made me love him even more. I'm past the halfway mark now, and have a few thoughts swimming around. But I wanted to get this idea out first before I start on any bigger projects. Please let me know if you have any advice/ideas for how I can improve, and I hope you enjoyed!


End file.
